WASHINGTON, DC—The United States Department of Education has chosen Philadelphia's Robert B. Pollock Elementary as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2007. The No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Award honors schools that help students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap.
Photo, left to right: Pollock Principal Kathleen Quinn, Northeast Regional Superintendent Lissa Johnson and School Based Mathematics Teacher Leader Andrea Miller pose at the school's award ceremony. Quinn and Miller received flowers from the First In Math program.
Principal Kathleen Quinn and Mrs. Andrea Miller, School Based Mathematics Teacher Leader, attended the award ceremony in Washington DC on November 12th. "We are extremely proud of the No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools designation," says Principal Quinn.
Located in the School District of Philadelphia's Northeast Region, Pollock Elementary has fully embraced the First In Math® Online Program. "I continue to say to anyone who asks about our achievement that First in Math has played a huge role. In my 38 years as an educator I have never seen kids so willing to challenge themselves," explains Quinn. "We enjoyed hearing that Hill Freedman was named a National Blue Ribbon winner last year, and I believe it cannot be a coincidence that both of our schools are heavily into First In Math. We have great teachers and an atmosphere that values high achievement, but definitely, positively, First In Math is a key component of our success." Pollock is only the second school in Philadelphia to win the Blue Ribbon award; Hill Freedman School received the designation last year. Both schools are consistently ranked among the top First In Math schools. Pollock is currently ranked the Number 1 First In Math school in the nation.
Miller, a driving force behind the school's success, agrees. "First in Math is an amazing educational tool. It teaches much-needed thinking and computation skills and raises test scores. In addition, FIM generates excitement among teachers, parents and especially the children. It is a vital part of the educational process here at Pollock School."
Quinn and Northeast Regional Superintendent Lissa Johnson presented faculty with certificates, and every faculty member and student received a small "blue ribbon" pin, in honor of the award.